Former SMU pledge and likely 2015 NBA lottery pick Emmanuel Mudiay has agreed to a one-year, $1.2 million deal with Guangdong Tigers of the Chinese Basketball Association, according to Yahoo. Mudiay was reportedly facing ineligibility issues with the NCAA, and instead chose to forgo college for a season overseas: Emmanuel Mudiay has agreed to a […]

Emmanuel Mudiay has agreed to a one-year, $1.2 million contract with Guangdong of the China Basketball Association, the richest overseas contract ever for a high school player, a source told Yahoo Sports.

Mudiay, 19, had been faced with eligibility issues for his freshman season at Southern Methodist University under Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown and made the decision to play in China before becoming eligible for the 2015 NBA draft.

Mudiay, a 6-foot-5 guard, is considered a lottery pick in the Class of 2015. With the Chinese season ending in March, Mudiay’s plan will be to return to the United States and use the remaining few months to prepare for the 2015 draft in June, a source said. Mudiay has also taken out insurance policies to protect him in China against injury that could impact his future earnings, a source said.

According to published reports, Gilbert Arenas will soon be joining Tracy McGrady in China. Arenas, 30, wasn’t able to secure an NBA contract this season and he’s now reportedly on the verge of inking a deal with the Guangdong Southern Tigers. (The CBA season ends in time for both McGrady and Arenas to get picked up by an NBA team for the Playoffs.) Per Yahoo! Sports: “Gilbert Arenas is nearing an agreement on a one-year contract with the Guangdong Southern Tigers of the Chinese Basketball Association, a source said. […] The Chinese Basketball Association now has a long list of former NBA players, including former All-Stars Stephon Marbury and Tracy McGrady. By signing with Guangdong, Arenas will join former NBA player Yi Jianlian, who played with the Dallas Mavericks last season.”